There has been a lot of discussion over the connection between Hip Hop and youth violence but how much is fact and how much is fiction? This issue is especially critical during a time when cities and states are passing laws aimed at the so called "Hip Hop" generation.

On Friday June 27th at 8PM, Shairi's Radio Show will host an emergency town hall meeting to discuss this burning issue on WXDU 88.7FM titled "Don't Believe the Hype!"

The two hour program will feature activists, ministers, Hip Hop artists and local citizens. The regular host of Shairi's Radio Show is Monica Daye but the radio town hall meeting will also be cohosted by TRUTH Minista Paul Scott of the Messianic Afrikan Nation.

The purpose of the forum is to allow people to voice their concerns and offer solutions to the problem of youth violence as well as dispel the myth that Hip Hop is synonymous with gang culture.

Two Durham young men (alledged gang members) were arrested last Friday for a string of robberries and violent acts , including the shots that were fired at a city bus leaving Northgate Mall, last March.

What struck me as strange was that the sub headline reported that the reason for these acts of violence was "boredom."

Now, I've followed the coverage of such acts for many years and rarely (if ever) have I seen "boredom" as the official cause of a shooting, robbery, etc. Usually, the stereotype is some black kid from a single family household in the 'hood who goes around shootin' people just to watch them die.

It was not until I saw the pictures of the "gangsta's" that I realized the reason for the "boredom" rationale.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Nearly seven years ago, on September 11, 2001, an event happened that would shape American policy for decades to come. The event was the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon which had Americans looking under every rock and behind ever bush for terrorists. No piece of legislation developed under the pretense of a "war on terror" was too much as long as it allowed citizens to sleep at night. Years later, most would agree, in retrospect, that both the Patriot Act and the Iraq War were dreadful mistakes. Unfortunately, with the NC Street Gang Suppression Act, history seems to be repeating itself.

Don't get me wrong, I like going to get my newspaper out of the driveway every morning without becoming the victim of a drive by as much as the next guy but I believe that the "Hip Hop Patriot Act" is leading us down a long dark path better left untraveled.

I would be the first to admit that Durham like other cities, has a problem with youth violence. However, the gang threat has been blown out of proportion by the media, politicians and others who have various motives for promoting the idea of the great red and blue menace that is supposedly plaguing the streets of Durham and other cities in North Carolina .

While Durham may not be "Mayberry USA", it ain't Compton either. The same kid who is Killer P while hanging on the block with his homies on Friday night is Lil Pookie who sings in the junior choir on Sunday morning.

Thus, the main problem with the new anti gang bill is its failure to clearly define what constitutes being a member of a gang. Now, I'm no lawyer but I have watched Law and Order enough times to know that this bill could lead to unfair profiling and constitutional violations. Just because someone wears an over sized white T-Shirt and has a tattoo of Bugs Bunny on his right shoulder does not make him a criminal.

Every since the mega corporations have discovered that "gangsta chic" is a billion dollar a year industry, they have promoted gangsterism as part of Hip Hop culture. It is not the kids on the street who are making millions of dollars promoting the gangsta style but the owners of major clothing. jewelry and advertising companies.

While some may disregard the fear of Hip Hop profiling, this is a real concern, especially for a black community not too far removed from the Jim Crow Laws and Black Codes of the early 20th century that made it illegal for a group of African Americans to gather on street corners.

While the term "gang" member is not race specific, the poster child of gangsterism as promoted by the media is not a middle class white kid selling meth nor a skinhead with a Confederate cap but a young black male with a bandanna and sagging pants. So in an attempt to ease public fear this is to whom the bill will be targetted.

Also, although the proposed legislation is being sold as a way to get the top shot callers of the gangs, I doubt very seriously if much of the energy actually goes towards finding who actually brings the drugs into the community. As usual, the politicians will turn a blind eye to the root causes of crime such as the stores that sell a disproportionate amount of high octane liquor in high crime areas as well as the easy access to guns in these communities. This is because those who put the guns and liquor into these communities have lobbyists and the gang bangers don't.

The reason that we cannot solve the so called gang issue is that there are some who have already made plans to send their children to college courtesy of the money that "gang prevention" laws generate. There is always a long line of poverty pimps and Hip Hop hustlers standing in line to gobble up government funds, many of whom won't even tell an "urban child" good morning unless there is a grant tied to the salutation.

The challenge is for to come up with new ways to stop youth violence without caving in to the politics of fear and ignorance.

As Stevie Wonder once sang, "when you believe in things that you don't understand, then you suffer."

Minister Paul Scott is founder of the Messianic Afrikan Nation in Durham.

Did you know that there was a system known as gang net that tracks gang members in NC called NC Gangnet and a child's name stays on the list for five years? So, if Tyrone is labeled as a Crip when he is 14, I guess he can forget about college?

Looks like Rev. Michael Pfleger pastor of the St,. Sabina Church in Chicago was placed on suspension today for dissin' Hillary Clinton at Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church, Trinity United Church of Christ.

I remember back in the late 90's when I was fighting to get Phat Boy Malt Liquor out of the hood and I found out that they were also selling it in Chicago. I called St. Sabini and spoke with Rev. Pfleger. I told him that Phat Boy was being sold in Chicago. He said that he would call me back. A few hours later my phone rang and he said "It's not beeing sold here any more."

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott

"TRUTH Minista" Paul Scott is a minister, writer, lecturer and activist. He has been a guest on talk shows around the world including Hannity and Colmes (Fox News), Fox News Live, Nachman (MSNBC), Hot 97 (NY), The Bev. Smith Show, Mancow Morning Show, Mike Medved Show, Russ Parr Morning Show, Mo in the Midday WVON (Chicago), Tom Pope Show (DC) Newstalk 1010 (Toronto) and SAfm (South Africa) discussing the issues of Rap,Race,Religion and Revolution. He has been interviewed by many newspapers including the USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor. Scott has lectured at universities across the country including West Virginia University, Clemson, Winston Salem State University and Illinois Wesleyan University. Scott was ordained a Baptist minister in 1998 he later went on to coin the phrase Afrikan Liberation Theology, which is "Black Liberation Theology for the 21st century." After forming the New Righteous Movement, Scott formed the Messianic Afrikan Nation in 2003. For more information contact (919) 972-8305 info@nowarningshotsfired.com or Twitter @truthminista